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The No. 8 seed Eastern Michigan Eagles pounded out 12 hits for 10 runs and capitalized on four Kent State Golden Flashes errors to stun the No. 1 seed Golden Flashes with a 10-5 win on Saturday afternoon at All Pro Freight Stadium.
Anthony DiLeo led the Eagles with three hits and three RBI's, while Marquise Gill, Austin Wilson and Michael Mioduszewski each added two hits apiece. With the win, Eastern Michigan forced another game between both teams once again later this evening, tentatively scheduled for 8:00 pm ET, as the winner will advance to Sunday's MAC Baseball Championship Game.
Eastern Michigan took control of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning with five runs for the 10-5 victory. Jeremy Stidham walked, David Lett's sacrifice bunt advanced Stidham to second. Gill's infield single put runners on the corners. Wilson reached base as his sacrifice bunt scored Stidham and Gill advanced to second. Mitchell McGeein was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Mioduszewski walked to score Gill, then Tony DiLeo walked to score Wilson and Brennan Williams single to center scored both McGeein and Mioduszewski.
The game started well for Kent State as leadoff hitter Luke Burch opened the game with a home run to right center for the early 1-0 lead.
Eastern Michigan responded with two solo home runs in the bottom of the first inning. Both Austin Wilson and Michael Mioduszewski placed Kent State starter Eli Kraus' deliveries over the left field wall for the Eagles 2-1 lead.
The Eagles increased their lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the second inning. Tony DiLeo singled to left center and advanced on an infield ground out and moved to third base on David Lett's infield single. During Lett's steal of second base a throwing error by Kent State catcher Pete Schuler allowed both Dileo to score and Lett to advance to third base for the unearned run.
Eastern Michigan added another run in the bottom of the third inning. With the bases loaded, Dileo's single through the left side allowed Mitchell McGeein to score for the 4-1 advantage.
Kent State struck in the top of the fifth inning as Josh Hollander and Birch walked to open the inning. Eastern Michigan starting pitcher Michael Marsinek was relieved by Davis Feldman. Reilly Hawken's sacrifice bunt advanced both runners and Zarley Zalewski delivered with a single to center field to score both Hollander and Burch to cut the Eagles lead to 4-3.
Once again, Eastern Michigan responded as Dileo opened the bottom of the fifth inning with a home run to left field to open a 5-3 lead.
Kent State tied the game in the top of the sixth inning as Dom Iero doubled to left field. Eastern Michigan changed pitchers as Matthew Beaton came on to pitch. Schuler promptly tripled to left center as Iero scored. Then Hollander grounded out to first base and Schuler scored to tie the game at 5-5.